Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-26

relieve and comfort the sick and needy.
The aid and Encouragement lent by the
Queens own hand and voice to the
aged and suffering inhabitants of many
cottage at Osborne and Balmoral
seem to point TO an early lesson well
learned.
TIE COURSE or TRCT LOVE.
IT last he blonde, blooming child,
with her frank, euileless face, had de-
veloiod into the sweet and spirited
maiden Of seventeen, for whom and for
her great inheritance suitorS were al
ready hurrying from every point OF the
compass. From the Netherlands, from
Prussia. from Wurtemberg, from this
ENGLAND of hers. in the person of
prin>ely cousin, there appeared betimes
aspirants for the possession of her hand
and the shadow OF her crown. But
the fathcrly uncle who had 50 long
planned and cared for her had not left
This main point altogether unattended.
Naturally enough, AS well as very
fortunately ior al concerned, his eyes
had long been fixed on young kins-
man very dear To him. handsome lad
Of rare promise. who stood in the same
relation To the ducal family of Coburg
in bis day which King Leopold had Oc-
cupied generation before. Not with
out opposition from King William, who
advocated the claims of another wOOer,
the experiment was tried of a visit
Of some weeks duration, paid il
the merry month of May, by the Duke
of CobuTg and his two sons to his SIS
ter. the Duchess of Kent, at kcnsing-
ton Palace. when the young people
might become acquainted with each
other, and their feelings toward each
other might be gently tested.
Apart from the remarkable contra
dictorinoss OF human nature the sequel
could hardly he donbted. A very at
tractive royal lal and lass, with hearts
sull fresh and tender. brought I'D much
aloof from the influences which stir
and sway youthful faucies, came sud
denly IN contact for a long enough
time to enable them to discover their
mutual gifts and graces and the
tastes--ospecial.y in music and draw
ing-which they shared. They played
and sang together, drew together,
went TO the drawing-room balls
and dinners together, ate a collation. at
the Mansion House iii company, and
sat in IT. Paul's with both of their SYM
pathetic hearts thrilling in solemn re-
spouse 10 the grand and pathetic an
them. the Hundredth Psalm, as 1t was
sung by the whole of the charlty-schoOi
children in London. To complete the
cIarm the couple had even the soften
,ng touch Of an illness on Prince ~
DCrt's Tart, which, no d0u0t, the lively
interest and aecctionate consideration
Of his cousin, Princess Victoria, helped
10 chase away.
When the Prince left the Princess
sent o letter TO her uncle, King Leo
lold, in which it is plain she not only
,uessed the import of the visit, but
heartily acquiesced in its consequences.
She asked the King to take care OF his
nepLews health for her sake. Bat no
.ormal engagement was entered into,
no regular correspondence established.
lhe Prince went of to college like any
other well-bIOught-up lad OF his age.
The Princess prepared for the greater
responsibility Of her coming OF age and
coming ont" simultaneously with her
eighteenth birthday. TO meet the oc-
casion, and doubtless IN reference to
The FILLING health OF King William,
King Leopold sent Oyerhis trusted con
.idant, Baron Stockmar, to aid the
Princess and her mother with his
sagaciiy and experience. The Baron
did not come an hour too soon. On
the oath of May, 1897, the white silk
lag with the name "Victoria IN blue
letters. waving on Kensineton Green,
and the local musicians serenading the
Princess under the windows OF hen-
sineton Palace, announced that III the
evts of the law she had come to wo-
mans estate, which was further demon
strated by the fact that she had to
receive on one day as many as twenty
four royal addre sses--the iOrerunners
of thousands and tens OF thousands
of such conrtly compliments
CALLED TO THE THRONE.
Within month King William died.
On the 2Cth Of June as early as . o'clock
ON bright summer morning the Arch
bishop of Canterbury, the Prime Minis
ter. and the Lord Chamberlain, having
driven straight from Windsor for tae
uurpose, aroused the Princess from her
Sleep and hailed her Queen. Her first
,eansst TO the Archbishopis said 20 have
been for prayers. With her own hand
she wrote Il letter of coincidence to the
widowed Qneeu Adelaide, refusing
10 correct the address which she
had put on it. $40 the Queen
of England and saying it was
not by her that Queen Adelaide
should he reminded that tho title was
no longer here. By the Queens choice
she went in alone 10 preside over her
tint council, which was held that morn
ing IN the wide low room with the
white pillars, invested thenceforth with
historical interest. Her uncles, tie
Dukes Of Cumberland and Sussex, men
l.. A. L.